Automated testing is one of the advanced processes that help developers not only improve the efficiency of the test cases but also focus on the quality of the application. While we are in the context of test automation, Selenium is one of the largest players in this segment. This is because, over a decade, Selenium has simplified the process of initiating automated testing on web-based apps. The integration of cloud testing further improves the accuracy and efficiency of automated test cases. Cloud testing also facilitates the process of simplified real-device testing to improve the stability of the application.
Since all the test cases aren’t directed to a single element of the application, the app developers need to filter the test cases according to the requirements of the app development project. With this article, we will guide the new developers and testers through the process of filtering Selenium automation testing on a cloud environment. We will also discuss some of the best practices that can benefit this process.
Automated Testing with Selenium
To understand the modern market of test automation, we must create a detailed idea about this advanced process. It is an effort towards the removal of human involvement in the test case execution process. Instead, the system will emulate the human interactions using predetermined parameters present in test scripts. However, the developers can make necessary changes in this data to ensure that the reports are customized according to the requirements of the app development project. Based on these emulations and interactions, the system will generate a report showing the stability of the application and whether it can be forwarded to the production phase.
Based on the current standards of app development, automation testing contributes in the following ways:
- Using test automation, the app developers can initiate multiple test instances with the help of parallel test execution. This feature uses the concept of a hub that is connected to several nodes and forwards the target test cases depending on the test parameters.
- Automation testing improves the accuracy of the test cases as it is devoid of errors that can arise due to human involvement. Moreover, test automation can run the test cases all the time which is beyond human capabilities.
- Since test automation can conduct repetitive test cases like regression testing, unit testing, and data analysis testing, the app developers can focus on the creative areas of the project. For instance, they can work together to create a new feature for future updates.
- It is very important to consider automation testing as a long-term investment as it will benefit the company’s resources by eradicating a manual testing team.
Selenium is an open-source umbrella project that helps app testers to execute automation testing on web-based apps. Multiple tools come under this project which assists the developers at different stages of the testing cycle. The core infrastructure of the Selenium test suite is based on the JavaScript programming language. It is a huge benefit as app developers do not have to go through a prolonged learning curve. Based on the app project, all the tools in the Selenium suit will help in the following ways:
- For initiating codeless automation testing, the developers can use the Selenium IDE. This tool will analyze the human interactions and accordingly generate the test cases in real-time.
- For certain scenarios, the App testers need to manually create the automation test cases. In such a condition, they can utilize the Selenium client API. These tools support all the well-known languages like Python, Ruby, JavaScript, and many others for the development of test scripts.
- The Selenium WebDriver is responsible for forwarding the automation test scripts to the respective elements of the application. This tool also allows app developers to execute the test cases in the native environment of their target browser. A unique feature of this tool is that it can perform all these processes without the involvement of a native testing engine.
- Finally, the app testers can utilize the potential of parallel test execution using the Selenium Grid. This tool can run multiple test instances on different configurations and machines simultaneously and complete the test cases within a few days.
LambdaTest and its Cloud Testing Infrastructure
LambdaTest boosts the cloud testing infrastructure with the help of its real device cloud and AI-based test orchestration. Using this platform, app developers can initiate Selenium-based automated test cases on thousands of real devices and browser versions. LambdaTest also combines the test reports from multiple real devices and browsers to further boost the accuracy of the results. The LambdaTest real device testing cloud boosts Selenium Testing in the following ways:
- The cloud infrastructure provides access to legacy devices and older versions of browsers there are no longer available in the market. Using this option, the app testers can also forward their applications to users who do not update their hardware and software.
- With the help of parallel test execution, LambdaTest’s real best testing cloud can make 3000+ different combinations including real devices, browsers, and simulation software.
- It also has an elaborate support system consisting of phone support, live chat, and mailing feature. The application testers can use these features to gain adequate information about various tools and features offered by this platform. LambdaTest also maintains an open-source community where various testers and developers can discuss multiple issues.
- After the test case execution process, LambdaTest generates an elaborate testing report which consists of multiple videos, screenshots, and test activity logs. This report will also automatically highlight the faulty elements in the web application. So, using this process, the app testers can massively simplify the troubleshooting and debugging process.
Filtering Selenium tests on the Cloud
While using LambdaTest for initiating Selenium test cases over the cloud, the application developers can easily filter the test cases according to multiple parameters and requirements. We have listed all the required steps in the intended order:
- Setting up the LambdaTest Account
As a prerequisite, the application developers have to set up their LambdaTest account. It is a very simple process as it involves navigating to the official website and following the on-screen instructions. To access the LambdaTest real device cloud, the app developers have to purchase a license as it will provide the login credentials for executing the test cases on the cloud.
- Accessing the Automation Dashboard
After logging in to the LambdaTest account, the system will automatically redirect the testers to the LambdaTest dashboard. Here, the application testers have to access the automation tab or the automation dashboard.
- Selecting the Testing Project
Once the app testers have received access to the automation dashboard, they will be able to see all the testing projects that are linked to their account. The testers have to select the app testing project which contains the test cases that they want to filter.
- Configuring Desired Capabilities for Selenium Testing
The application testing capabilities play a vital role in improving the efficiency and accuracy of the Selenium test cases. These capabilities consist of the browsers, devices, and operating systems that the app developers are targeting for the Selenium testing process. So, app developers need to configure all of these capabilities according to the target audience.
- Setting the Filters
While using LambdaTest, the application developers can access multiple filters to narrow down the test cases that they want to execute. Some of the popular filters are as follows.
- Tags:
Using this filter, the application developers can access the tags and labels like smoke, regression, and others to find the test cases that they want to execute on the LambdaTest environment.
- Test Name:
This is one of the most common filters that are used for finding the desired test cases. To properly utilize this filter, the app testers must name their test cases according to the target elements.
- Build Name:
In case the app testers are deploying a built or versioning system, they can use the specified data to find the test cases that are associated with the target build.
- Status:
Finally, it is possible to use the status of a test case to find it and run it on the target environment. The status of a test can include failed, passed, or any other parameter.
The following code snippet will prepare the test environment by filtering the test cases.
import requests
import json
# LambdaTest authentication credentials
username = “your_username”
access_key = “your_access_key”
# API endpoint for executing tests
api_endpoint = “https://api.lambdatest.com/automation/api/v1/executions”
# Desired capabilities for test execution
desired_capabilities = {
“platform”: “Windows 10”,
“browserName”: “Chrome”,
“version”: “latest”,
“name”: “Filtered Test Execution”,
“build”: “build-1”,
# Add more capabilities as needed
}
# Filters to narrow down tests
filters = {
“tags”: [“smoke”], # Filter by tag
“status”: “passed”, # Filter by status (passed, failed, etc.)
# Add more filters as needed
}
# Authentication headers
auth_headers = {
“Authorization”: f”Basic {username}:{access_key}”
}
# Request payload
payload = {
“desiredCapabilities”: desired_capabilities,
“filters”: filters
}
# Send the API request
response = requests.post(api_endpoint, data=json.dumps(payload), headers=auth_headers)
# Check the response
if response.status_code == 200:
print(“Tests filtered and executed successfully!”)
else:
print(“Error executing tests:”, response.text)
- Executing the test Cases
After the application developers have filtered the test cases according to their requirements, it is time to execute them using the LambdaTest API. It is a very simple process as the developers simply have to click on the “execute” or the “run” button that will be visible on the target window. After this, LambdaTest will automatically run the Selenium test cases based on the filters, capabilities, and parameters that have been defined by the testers. Finally, LambdaTest will generate a detailed test report showing the status of the test case and errors if any.
We recommend that app developers go through the official documentation of LambdaTest and Selenium to learn more about the various features, methods, and tools. All the data is explained with the help of sample test cases to simplify the information. The official website also provides solutions for some of the common errors that can arise during the testing process.
The Final verdict
Filtering the Selenium test cases while executing them in a cloud environment allows app developers to prioritize the important test cases and focus on the target elements. This process also has an indirect role in improving the efficiency of the automation test cases. So we recommend the developers continue improving their knowledge regarding all the new additions in the segment of test automation. Collecting adequate information about the requirements of the target audience helps app developers to customize their applications so that they can cater to a wider section of end users.
